Meeting of the Parliament 11 March 2015
No—I must conclude.
Given the point that Jackie Baillie made about the evidence that the IFS gave to the Finance Committee this morning, is she now committing the Labour Party to supporting the First Minister’s argument that we should boost public expenditure by £180 billion? If that is the case, it will be news to Ed Balls, because he is arguing the diametric opposite of that in the House of Commons.
I am surprised by the Labour Party’s position in today’s debate. After the referendum and its two-year partnership with the Tories to talk Scotland down, the Labour Party has tried to suggest over the past couple of months that it has somehow become all supportive of Scotland. Today, we have another example of the Labour Party talking Scotland down, and the people of Scotland will see right through it.
I move amendment S4M-12591.3, to leave out from “that full” to end and insert:
“Scotland should have the powers that it needs to create a jobs-rich, more equal and more locally-based economy; further believes that this is key to reducing inequality and promoting a sustainable future; agrees that the UK Government’s fiscal austerity programme is having a disproportionate impact on the poorest in society and will reduce public spending to its lowest level since the 1930s, and calls on the UK Government to end the unfair cuts to public spending and invest to protect public services.”
15:07Motions, questions or amendments mentioned by their reference code.